The Druid Grove

The ancient druids were considered the Scientists of their day. This forum is for the discussion of topics relating to Natural History, Science and Technology.

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Not wishing to be pedantic but rather to quote my husband who listens to these things on the radio - 'you can only have an indian summer if you have had a frost first, what some of the media are calling it is a barbecue autumn" - it's great to get this warmth so late on. I was gardening yesterday and there were primroses out and bulb shoots half a hand high, though I suppose all this new growth will be killed when the frosts come.

Hello Skydove
We have almost had frost down here in SE London! Several mornings at 8am or so, I have gone outside & seen my breath in the air! And everything has been damp although there was no rain. A couple of my plants have given up the ghost & shrivelled up, so it must have been pretty cold in the night although it warms up tremendously during the daytime. A huge drop in temp forecast for next week!

Hi Helenoftheways,
I hope the warm weather lasts a little longer, I've a bumper crop of outdoor tomatoes on my allotment,huge but most of them are still green, it's that awkward stage when you dont know whether to pick them now or leave them a little while longer as the plants are still green and healthy looking. I've been making tomato chutney all morning and ice cube parsley. Off up there this afternoon to do some weeding.

It has started raining! The trees aren't changing colors (well, a few brown leaves here and there but that's it) but the nights are starting to get cold. The past few days its been cloudy and breezy and starting to sprinkle/mist. Today we're getting showers and a breeze and it smells very fall-like. I finally caved in and made a pumpkin pie-the house smelled divine with the cinnamon and rain scent.

We have made it down into the upper 30's here at 2,160 feet in the NC mountains. Yesterdays high was only 56. We have reached maybe 60 today. Frost cannot be too much further away. The deep blue skies show fall is here.

Nice pictures, Suzanne! I have a kayak so I can sympathize with your love for canoeing.

James E Parton
Bardic Course Graduate - Ovate Student
New Order of Druids

picking and pressing tonnes of apples and crab apples from the farm and all the local street trees to make juice and cider
picking buckets of plums from Farmer John's plum trees (neighbour) trees for ice lollies, crumbles, jam and wine
harvesting the last big summer crops from the veg garden and spending whole days just blanching and freezing them, or drying and pickling
collecting berries and sloes
getting firewood chopped and stacked
tanning the first deer skins of the year before the weather turns and we have to salt or freeze them til spring

Walking in the park with my dog this autumn, I found this mystery nut - see here!
I first thought it was an acorn, but it wasn't! (Read all the comments...!)
Yesterday I discovered the tree that it came from!

Yesterday I discovered that the company that looks after the park has just felled this tree! The stump looks totally healthy, so I will be asking some questions about this!